A proposal fordriver trainingin three stages

to acquire aB-category driving licence

Martti Peräaho

Transportforum 2011, Linköping

Background

Renewal / update of Finnish category B driver training

Two parts:•2008, Theory and structure (AKE report 2/2009)•2010, Proposal for curriculum (TraFi report 7/2010)

Authors:•Turku university, Traffic research group

Esko Keskinen, Martti Peräaho, Sirkku Laapotti, Ari Katila, Kati Hernetkoski

Reasons for new driver training system

• EU plans and requirementsTraffic safety programme 2011-2020- objective #1 = "improve education and training of road users"- emphasis on young drivers- harmonization of driver education

- contents, methods

• Current Finnish curriculum dates back to 1989 (slightly revised 2004)

• Young driver accidents- accident "peak" just after licensing prevails

• European ideas and developments (e.g. Norway, Sweden, Austria)

• Research- Basic, Gadget, DAN, Hermes .....

• GDE acknowledged as a central theoretical framework for developing driver education

NivåKunskaper Färdighet

Riskökande aspekter

Självkänne- dom

Individen

LivsstilÅlder Kön GruppPersonlighet

ÄventyrssökandeGrupptryck UngdomSjukdom

Egna förutsättningarImpulskontrollFörmåga att re-flektera

Resan

Strategiska val av:- färdsätt- restillfälle- färdväg- syfteNär, Var, Hur?

AlkoholTrötthetTävlandeMörkerVinterväglagRusningstid

Egna motiv för strategiska valSjälvkritiskt tän-kande

Trafiken

TrafiksituationerTrafikreglerSamspelRiskmedvetande

Hög hastighetKorta avståndGående barnSkymd siktVilt

Kalibrering av sin egen körförmågaSjälvkritiskt tän-kande

Fordonet

FunktionTeknikSkyddssystemNaturlagarManövrering

Utan bälteDåliga däckSlitna bromsarSliten vindrutaGamla bilar

Kalibrering av sin manövrerings-förmågaMotivation att använda skydds-system

GDE-matrisen

”Goals for Driver Education” (Hatakka, Keskinen,

Gregersen, Glad, 2002)

The current 2-stage driver training system

1st stagein driving school or privately (instruction permit)16 driving hours, 20 theory lessons> driver exam > provisional licence

Independent practice period (6 months – 2 years)

2nd stage1 day: driving, track and group > permanent licence

Development needs in current 2-stage system

• Connection between 1st and 2nd stage unclear

• Independent practice period between phases too longand unstructured

- great variation among students

• Main focus on GDE levels 1 + 2 (3)

• Too little focus on driving style and behaviour- also after driver exam (indep. driving period)

• New methods needed > coaching (HERMES)

• Unclear goals

• More driving needed

• More emphasis on environment issues

• Insufficient structure in private instruction

Simply: it was time to update

Driver training in 3 stages

Aim of proposal was to...

• Target the needs, but keep what is good in the current model

• We looked at other GDE-based curriculum models and proposals for ideas:

AustriaFinlandNorwaySwedenThe Netherlands

4 Personal goals for life, skills for livinge.g. lifestyle, motives, values, self-control, habits, health

3 Goals and context of drivinge.g. trip related choices, goals, driving environment, company

2 Mastery of traffic situationse.g. rules, observation, driving path, interaction

1 Vehicle handling and manoeuvringe.g. gears, controls, direction, tyre grip, speed adjustment

5 Social environmente.g. culture, legislation, enforcement, subculture, social groups, group values and norms

Proposal based on a five-level GDE5-SOC matrix (Keskinen, Peräaho & Laapotti, 2010)

"Level 4"

- focus on individual goals, motives, characteristics and competences

"Level 5"

- focus on the driver's social environment, culture, social networks, group goals and motives

Main objective:

The student becomes a "responsible driver", who…

… wants to enhance safety in traffic(handling, rules, planning, risk awareness)

… is social, takes others into consideration(norms, communication, vulnerable road users)

… cares about the environment(fuel economy, sensible use of car)

… has insight into his / her own behaviour as driver(safety impact of personality, motives and choices)

Structure

1. Base stagein driving school or privately (instruction permit)> driver exam > provisional licence

2. Practice stage (3 months – 1 year) independent practice + driving school feedback

3. Advanced stage1 day: driving, track and group > permanent licence

DRIVING SCHOOL- 19 theory lessons- minimum 16 driving hours- difficult conditions 1+1 driving hours- self-studying + learning diary- content focus: basics > traffic situations > independent driving

PRIVATE TRAINING- 19 theory lessons- minimum 14 driving hours- introduction course in DS (3 tl + 1 dh)- evaluation in DS (1 dh)- difficult conditions 1+1 dh in DS- self-studying + learning diary- content focus: basics > traffic situations > independent driving

1. BASE STAGE

Duration: driving school / no limitprivate / max 1 year

DRIVER

EXAM

Provisional licence

New driver penalty system (2 yrs) DS = driving schooldh = driving hour, tl = theory lesson

Feedback in DS within 1 month after exam:1 + 1 dh and 1 tl

learning diary

BASE

Duration: min 3 months - max 1 year (- 1 day)

DRIVER

EXAM

Provisional licence

New driver penalty system (2 yrs)

2. PRACTICE STAGE

DRIVINGSCHOOL

PRIVATETRAINING

Independent practice

BASE

DRIVER

EXAM

Provisional licence

New driver penalty system (2 yrs)

PRACTICE

Individual evaluation of driving (1 + 1 dh) and feedback (0.5 + 0.5 tl)

Demonstrations and practice in groups (2 dh)

Group disc. (3 tl)- risks- interaction- self-evaluat.

3. ADVANCED STAGE

Full license

Duration:1 day at end of practice stage

• Student responsibility

- independent work, learning diary, homework- some contents entirely through self-study- student prepares for class and- content deepened in class- more coaching

> more effective use of lessons

• Learning diary

- exercises- self-evaluation

- how behaves as driver and why- what decisions and why

- keep track of driving in practice stage

- used also in base stage- used in advanced stage feedback- included in theory part of driver examination (similar proposal also in the EU Traffic safety

programme 2011-2020)

Challenges

• Limited amount of driving and theory – can the GDE be covered?

• Connection to driver exam – what skills are in focus?

- EU Traffic safety programme requires that attitudes, values etc. are included in exam.

• Acceptance from instructors, the public, politicians?

- more work- more driving- more expensive- more demand on instructors

- lay instructors’ competence

• Training of instructors?

The road of the proposal so far:

• International seminar (TraFi, May 2010)

• National evaluation process (concerned parties + experts)

• Proposal approved by TraFi and the Ministry

• Law evaluated by Parliament Transport and Communications Committee (december 2010)

> only one major revision - practice stage 6 months - 2 years (as currently)

> lay instruction by family members only > 17.5 minimum age for driver training > EU driver license directive

What will happen next?

• Committee proposal to Parliament (January 2011).

• New law as from january 2013.

Comments

• Surprisingly little comments in the media.

• Mostly positive feedback.

• Main points of criticism:

- increased cost- obligatory driving school elements in private

instruction

DRIVING SCHOOL- 19 theory lessons- minimum 16 driving hours- difficult conditions 1+1 driving hours- self-studying + learning diary- content focus: basics > traffic sit. > independent driving

PRIVATE TRAINING- 19 theory lessons- minimum 14 driving hours- introduction course in DS (3 tl + 1 dh)- evaluation in DS (1 dh)- difficult conditions 1+1 dh in DS- self-studying + learning diary- content focus: basics > traffic sit. > independent driving

Independent practice

Feedback in DS within 1 month after exam:1 + 1 dh and 1 tl

learning diary

Individual evaluation of driving (1 + 1 dh) and feedback (0.5 + 0.5 tl)

Demos and practice in groups (2 dh)

Group disc. (3 tl)- risks- interaction- self-evaluat.

BASE ADVANCED

Duration: driving school / no limitprivate / max 1 year

Duration: min 3 months - max 1 year (or 6-24 months??)

DRIVER

EXAM

Provisional licence

Full license

New driver penalty system (2 yrs) DS = driving schooldh = driving hour, tl = theory lesson

PRACTICE

Thank you for your attention!

More information from:

http://www.trafi.fi/sv/